A Bond Too Strong to Break
by AiredaleLady
Summary: When Fred proposes to Daphne, Velma worries that she will suddenly become a "third wheel" and that she will lose her two closest friends.


A BOND TOO STRONG TO BREAK  
  
A/N: This was my first Scooby-Doo fan fic. An illustrated version of this story, with   
illustrations by DaphFlamm, is available at http://cmiskow.homestead.com/dvfriend.html. It was   
originally titled "Friendship and Marriage."  
  
"Daphne, will you marry me?"  
Daphne's eyes widened with surprise and delight as the blond man dropped to his knees   
and presented her with a diamond ring.   
"Oh, Fred," she cried, throwing her arms around him and drawing him into an embrace.   
"Do you even have to ask? Yes! I will!"   
The blond man slipped the ring onto Daphne's finger, then joined her in the embrace,   
kissing her passionately.  
Several yards away stood another girl, a bespectacled brunette. She stared, incredulously,   
at the scene in front of her. The whole situation seemed so surreal. Her two closest friends,   
whom she had known since childhood, were engaged to one another and would one day be   
married. I guess it was inevitable, she thought to herself, as she watched the couple. Still, those   
two have shared a very special bond almost from the beginning, maybe it was meant to be this   
way. Fred and Daphne are so deserving of each other, anyway, and I know that they'll have a   
wonderful life together.   
The serene thought was suddenly interrupted by a more ominous one. It's the end of the   
friendship as you know it.   
Startled by the horror of that thought, Velma fought to put it out of her mind. The voice   
spoke from deep inside her heart. No. We've been friends for too long. That would never   
happen.  
** Accept it, Velma, the nagging voice persisted. Once a woman gets engaged, her   
fiancé becomes the center of her world, and it will be as if you were never a part of her life.   
Velma shook her head, physically trying to dispel the horrid notion. It won't be that way.   
It just can't be. Daphne would never throw away something as special as our friendship.  
**Friendship, marriage. The latter is always stronger.  
No. Not this time.  
As the battle between her heart and her mind wore on, Velma knew that her mind was   
quickly gaining the upper hand. Her rational, scientific mind, so helpful in solving a mystery,   
was the biggest hindrance where matters of the heart were concerned. Unable to reckon with her   
own thoughts and feelings, Velma quickly turned her back to the couple and walked off, closing   
her eyes tightly to hold back the flood of tears that she knew was inevitable.   
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
"Oh, Freddie," the red haired girl sighed, "this is wonderful...after all these years, we're   
finally together. This is a moment that all of us should share." Without even pausing, she called,   
"Hey, Velma, come over here!"  
Only when she turned around did she notice the other girl's absence. " Velma?" she   
asked, both out of surprise and worry.  
The blond man turned towards Daphne. "What's the matter, Daph?" he asked,   
cognizcent of the change in her voice.  
"Freddie, have you seen Velma?"   
"She was over there last time I saw her," he replied, pointing. He paused, noticing the   
worried look in her eyes "Daphne," he asked. "What's wrong?"   
The red haired girl suddenly and unexpectedly broke from the embrace, walking in the   
direction of where her friend was last seen.  
"Daphne…wait a minute," Fred called after her. "Where are you going?"  
The red head didn't even turn to look back as she yelled, "I've got to find my friend."   
Velma walked aimlessly through the neighborhood, trying not to look at her   
surroundings. It seemed that every place she saw carried with it some memory of her childhood   
and her friends. After hesitating, she turned and walked through the gates of the local park. It   
was tranquil, serene and seemed neutral enough that it would not remind her of her past. Sitting   
down on a bench, she sighed, burying her face in her hands. As her mind drifted back through   
the years, the scene around her seemed to fade away, leaving her alone with her thoughts.   
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
The two girls sat in opposite corners of the tree house, one reading a teen fashion   
magazine, the other, an issue of Popular Science. Ordinarily, there were two boys and a Great   
Dane puppy present; but on this particular afternoon, Shaggy had chores to do at home and Fred   
was on vacation with his family. Daphne, however, was not about to let their absence deter her   
from enjoying the weekend afternoon. Besides, she knew that if she stayed home, her father   
would make her work at his business for the day, a job that she hated almost as much as getting   
her clothes dirty.   
Not expecting anyone at the tree house, she was somewhat taken aback when she found   
the bespectacled girl sitting in the corner. Daphne felt rather awkward being alone with Velma.   
The two girls were as disparate as two people could possibly be--one a fashion fanatic and the   
other, a brain--but each found common ground in their passion for solving mysteries. An uneasy   
silence reigned in the tree house. Daphne sighed. She hated being bored, but was hesitant to   
engage the other girl in conversation. She and Velma often spoke when the boys prodded them,   
but by themselves, they could find little to discuss.   
The little red head looked up from her magazine. "Velma," she began, somewhat   
hesitantly, though she scarcely dared to hope that the other girl would not answer.   
The younger girl raised her head, but said nothing.   
"Velma," Daphne said again. "Can I ask you a question?"  
The bespectacled girl raised her head. "Why of course, Daphne," she replied. "On what   
topic do you wish to converse?"  
The redhead rolled her eyes at the response. "Uh, okay, you are hungry after school and   
you want a snack. You reach for, a, a granola bar; b, fresh fruit; c, a bag of potato chips or d,   
you raid the cookie jar."   
Velma looked puzzled. "What kind of ridiculous question is that?" she replied, "and   
why would my response be of any concern to you?"  
Daphne sighed in frustration. Oh brother, she mumbled to herself. Shaking her head,   
she continued, "Just answer the question, Velma, okay."  
The younger girl shrugged. "A granola bar, I suppose."  
Daphne carefully noted the response.  
"Okay, question two. Your favorite attraction at an amusement park is…"  
Velma hesitantly answered the questions. "Daphne," she interjected. "What is the   
purpose of this activity?"  
"Uh, it's a personality quiz," the other girl replied, then quickly jumped to the next   
question.   
Velma shrugged her shoulders. A part of her felt that she was intellectually beyond such   
childish pursuits, but for some reason, she wanted to respond and was curious about the outcome.   
Mechanically gave her answers, as Daphne meticulously noted each one.  
"Okay," the little red head announced, a few minutes later. "According to these answers,   
you are a quiet person who prefers the company of a few close friends. You love nature and   
small animals. You can, however, be somewhat aggressive if the need arises, especially where   
your friends are concerned."  
The younger girl suddenly snapped to attention. "Hey!" she yelled. "I'm not   
aggressive!"   
"Well, according to your answers, you are."  
Velma stifled a laugh. "That's not true."  
The older girl shrugged. "Hey, don't look at me, I didn't write this thing."   
Velma grinned. The whole activity was a new experience for her, but she found it rather   
interesting, like a scientific curiosity. She took the magazine from Daphne. "Okay, now it's your   
turn."   
A few minutes later, the two girls burst out laughing, their divergent personalities   
momentarily forgotten. After calming down and catching their breath, Velma smiled. "Gee,   
Daph," she began. "I guess you and I have more in common than we thought we did."  
Daphne nodded in agreement.   
Magazines forgotten, the two girls spent the rest of the afternoon talking. Daphne's   
hesitancy to engage the other girl in a conversation had completely disappeared, and the next   
phrase just flowed naturally from her lips. "So, tell me, Velma. What do you think of Freddie?"   
As the afternoon wore on, the two girls, who just hours before had been only casual   
acquaintances, were now talking as close friends. Neither of the two girls noticed the red tinge   
in the afternoon sky. "Gee, Velma, Daphne said, glancing at her watch. It's almost 5:00; I have   
to be home for dinner."  
Velma detected the tinge of regret in the other girl's voice. "Me too," she replied, her   
voice tinged by the same tone. So much had happened in that short time that both girls were   
hesitant to see the afternoon end.   
As she reached the bottom of the ladder, Velma turned to the older girl. "That was fun,"   
she said, quietly. "We should do this more often."   
The little red head nodded in agreement. "Yeah, why not? We're friends, aren't we?"  
The bespectacled girl smiled and nodded, "Yes, Daph, we are. And we always will be,   
too."  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
Velma sat on the park bench, letting the memory linger awhile longer. The pleasant   
recollection momentarily set her mind at ease. As she stood up from the bench, turning to go   
home, her eyes caught sight of a young couple, holding hands. The familiar scene immediately   
brought back the feelings of loss and pain that she so badly wanted to escape. Turning around,   
she wandered deep into the park, her tear filled eyes blurring the scenery around her. * * * * * *   
* * * * * * * * *   
It was a rare occasion that Daphne and Velma found themselves in the malt shop without   
the two boys and the dog, but they welcomed the privacy. It gave them the chance to have a   
heart-to-heart, girl-to-girl conversation. "Velma," Daphne began, "about Fred..."  
The younger girl laughed out loud, sending her glasses sliding down her face. "You're   
asking me for advice on romance?! That was always your department." Velma paused as she   
pushed her glasses back up onto her nose. "Besides, what would I know? I've never even had a   
boyfriend!" She paused, then quickly added, "and Shaggy does not count!"   
Daphne sighed, resting her chin on her hands. "I just don't know what I should think   
about him. I mean, he always wants to go off with me whenever we split up, but…" Her voice   
trailed off. "I don't know, Velma, am I imagining the whole thing? He seems to like me, but   
I've never heard him actually say it."  
Velma took a sip of her milkshake. She knew almost nothing about love and romance,   
and could do little more than lend a sympathetic ear to her friend. But a sympathetic ear was   
what Daphne needed most at this time. "I don't think you are imagining it, Daph. I think Fred   
really does like you, but he just doesn't know quite how to verbalize it." The bespectacled girl   
paused, trying to think of something intelligent to say on a topic that she knew little about. "I   
think the fact that he always wants to go off with you says a lot in itself. You don't see him   
asking to go off with me, or with Shaggy, do you?"  
Daphne shook her head.   
"Well, I suppose that settles it." The younger girl paused, then added, somewhat slyly,   
"by the way, what do you guys do when you go off together, anyway, huh? I think a lot of   
people, myself included, would like to know the answer to that question."  
Daphne elbowed Velma in the ribs, and shot her a dirty smirk. "That's one mystery you   
are never going to solve," she replied. Moments later, the two girls erupted in uproarious   
laughter.   
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
Velma sighed as her mind drifted back to the present. Yes, Fred was a frequent topic of   
those conversations. How ironic that he should also be the cause of this whole situation.   
The other voice, though, the one from her heart, kept trying to counteract her rational   
mind. It just can't end this way. Neither of them would let it.  
**Admit it, Dinkley. It's over. Once those two get married, there won't be anything else   
in their world. You might as well move on with your life, now.   
She fought the voice again. No. Fred and Daphne would never do such a thing.   
The mental battle taking its toll on her, the brown haired girl leaned against a tree trunk   
for support. Emotionally exhausted, she slid down against the trunk and drifted off to sleep,   
crying softly.   
* * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
"Velma," Daphne called, frantically. "Velma, where are you?" The sounds of her own   
words elicited a brief grin from the red haired girl. How awkward it felt to call for her friend in   
the way that Shaggy called for his dog. Daphne briefly recalled a comment someone had made   
about renaming the series Velma, Where Are You, in honor of the person who usually solved all   
their cases. Encouraged by the recollection, she continued her search, eventually entering the   
park's main gate. She wouldn't go some place crowded, Daphne thought to herself, as she   
bypassed the playground and central plaza. She'd go someplace where she could be alone.   
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
Velma awoke to feel a hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently. "Velma," a familiar   
sounding voice called. "Velma, are you alright?"   
The younger girl stirred, momentarily, recognizing the voice, but dismissing it as a   
figment of her imagination.  
The shaking intensified. "Velma, come on, get up."   
The younger girl slowly opened her eyes. As she looked up, she could see someone   
standing over her, but the tears in her eyes prevented her from clearly seeing the image. All she   
could discern was a red haired figure wearing a lavender color dress. "Daph?" Velma asked,   
groggily.   
The red-haired figure nodded.  
Velma removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes. Replacing them, she soon confirmed   
the identity of the figure standing beside her. The sight of the other girl instantly jarred Velma to   
her senses. "Daphne!" she cried, throwing herself into the older girl's arms and hugging her.   
Daphne reciprocated the gesture, drawing the younger girl closer and hugging her, as if reuniting   
with a long, lost friend. Velma felt herself starting to cry again, but this time, they were tears of   
joy rather than pain.   
"I got a little worried when you pulled that disappearing act," said Daphne. "I thought   
I'm the one who's supposed to disappear and you guys are supposed to search for me. Since   
when is it the other way around?" The humorous comment temporarily lightened the mood of   
the moment. Daphne continued. "Even Fred was concerned when he turned around and didn't   
see you."   
The mention of Fred's name aroused the conflicting thoughts once again. And although   
relieved to be with Daphne, the younger girl was still troubled by her continuous internal strife.   
**So, Daphne found you. You don't think just because she found you that the situation   
will change, do you?   
Of course I do. The fact that she came to look for me shows that she still cares about me.   
**Big deal. As soon as she gets back to Fred, she'll forget all about you. Face it,   
Dinkley, it's over. Now get on with your life!  
Nooooh!!!!!  
**Yesss!!! Velma felt herself scream internally as she tried to fight off the thought. She   
tightened her grip on the older girl, physically trying to reassure herself of her friend's presence.   
Daphne knew something was wrong simply from Velma's reaction. And although the   
younger girl didn't speak, her pain was visible in her eyes, even from behind her thick glasses.   
"Velma," Daphne began. "Are you alright?"   
The younger girl nodded, but said nothing in reply.   
"Velma," Daphne tried again. "Is something bothering you? It's not like you to act this   
way."   
The younger girl remained reticent, wanting to respond, but not knowing quite what to   
say.   
Unwilling to wait, Daphne finally broke the silence herself. "This is about me and Fred,   
isn't it?"   
The younger girl raised her head and looked at her friend. "How did you know?"  
The red head smiled. "Just call it woman's intuition. Besides, I've been friends with you   
long enough that I've learned to figure you out. How else did you think I knew where to look for   
you?"  
The bespectacled girl sniffled, but managed a smile.   
"Velma," Daphne continued. "Do you remember when we were younger, we always   
confided our deepest secrets in one another?   
She nodded.   
"Well, why should it be any different now just because we are older?"  
The gentle words momentarily eased the younger girl's anxiety.   
"So, do you want to tell me what is bothering you?"  
Another round of conflicting thoughts coursed through Velma's mind. A part of her   
wanted to tell Daphne the horrible thoughts from earlier in the day; but, at the same time, Velma   
did not want to put any ideas into Daphne's head that might jeopardize the state of their   
friendship. "It's nothing," she sighed, shaking her head.   
Daphne disagreed. "If it was nothing, you wouldn't have disappeared like you did."  
Velma carefully analyzed the older girl's comment. Daphne's words and tone of voice   
suggested that she truly understood her friend and that the concern was genuine. Satisfied with   
her analysis, Velma took a deep breath and began to talk. "Daphne, you've been my friend for a   
long time, and your friendship means a lot to me." She paused. "That afternoon in the tree   
house, you went from being just an acquaintance to being a true friend. We've shared so much   
together since then, and when you told Fred that you would marry him, I was afraid that   
everything would change." Velma paused to wipe her eyes. "I was afraid that since you and   
Fred have committed to each other, you would spend all your time together and I would lose   
both of you as my friends." The younger girl closed her eyes to keep the tears from flowing.   
Daphne's eyes widened with surprise as she listened to the confession. "Velma, you   
know that I would never let that happen."   
Velma smiled, in relief. The confession had lifted an enormous burden from her   
shoulders.   
Daphne's voice grew slightly more serious. "Yes, Fred and I do share a very strong bond,   
but you and I do as well. And although the two bonds are different, they are, in some manner,   
quite similar. And long as I am here, I will never let anything override the bond that the two of   
us share."  
The younger girl shook her head in disagreement. "No," she sniffled, holding back her   
tears. "I know that the bond between a man and his wife is much stronger than the bond of   
friendship between two women. Its…its been scientifically proven."   
Daphne shook her head, vigorously. "Oh, Velma. For once, why don't you listen to your   
heart instead of your head?"  
Velma managed a feeble smile. "That's what got me into this in the first place."   
The red head sat down beside her friend. "Velma," she began. "Remember that   
afternoon in the tree house?"  
The younger girl nodded  
"Remember what happened, how we learned to get along with each other despite our   
being so different?"  
Another nod.  
"Well, that's exactly why the bond between us is so strong. Sometimes, a relationship   
built on differences is stronger than one built on commonalties." Daphne paused, briefly before   
resuming her speech. "Do you remember what else happened that afternoon, how we promised   
that we would be friends forever, no matter what?"   
Velma nodded again.   
"Well, no matter what means just that--no matter what. My engagement to Fred is not   
going to change anything between the two of us. When we promised to be friends forever, we   
meant it." Daphne chose to suddenly lighten the moment. "Oh sure, I love Fred, but I don't   
think I could tolerate him that much. A woman needs a break, you know."   
The younger girl laughed at the comment.  
As she helped the younger girl back to her feet, Daphne noticed the afternoon shadows   
getting longer. She glanced at her watch. It was 4:45. "Come on, Velma," she said, softly,   
helping the younger girl to her feet. "It's getting late. Fred is probably worried sick about us."   
Velma grinned. "I notice that you said 'us', and not just 'me.'"   
The red haired girl returned the grin. There was no need for words. She knew exactly   
what the other girl was thinking.   
As the shadows lengthened, the two girls turned and walked home. Just like that one   
moment in the afternoon, so many years ago, they knew that they would always be very special   
friends. 


End file.
